The mail system is in chaos. Postal workers are tired and frustrated. Customers are angry.
Despite the courageous efforts, hard work and dedication of postal workers throughout this dangerous pandemic, service has deteriorated to levels never seen in modern times. On-time first class mail delivery has fallen below 50 percent in many areas. Medicines, greeting cards, holiday gifts and vital correspondence are arriving late, not by days, but by weeks.
Several factors have created such an “imperfect storm.” The Postal Service suffers from chronic understaffing. COVID-19 pressures have exacerbated staffing issues, as has large turnover of the workforce. Packages have reached record volumes. Congress has still not resolved the manufactured postal financial crisis created by the absurd 2006 mandate to pre-fund retiree health benefits.
One can debate how much the arrival of PMG Louis DeJoy has led to this debacle with the mail. Certainly, some problems were inherited, others are results of management policies. We certainly welcomed the recent positive step of increasing career staffing in mail processing.
But there is no argument that DeJoy is the captain of the ship that is sinking on his watch. He must be held fully accountable by the Postal Board of Governors, elected officials and the public for the delays, loss of revenue and business, and for breaking the bond of trust between the people and the public Postal Service.
The Postal Board of Governors is responsible for setting the policy and direction of the Postal Service. The Board, not the U.S. President, hires, fires and directs the PMG.